PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Philadelphia Phillies ace Curt Schilling has gotten his wish and is returning home.

Amid rumors and speculation the righthander would be dealt before the trade deadline, the Phillies today sent Schilling to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a blockbuster trade.

The 33-year-old Schilling was dealt for first baseman-outfielder Travis Lee, lefthander Omar Daal, righthander Vicente Padilla and lefthander Nelson Figueroa, a highly touted prospect.

After openly expressing a desire to play elsewhere, Schilling now teams with ace lefthander Randy Johnson to give Arizona a devastating 1-2 punch. The acquisition could not come at a better time for the Diamondbacks, who have gone 21-25 after winning 35 of their first 54 games.

"Knowing that I probably wasn't going to be re-signing here, we sat down and talked and it was probably the best for both parties," said Schilling, a three-time All-Star. "It was a situation that I hope both clubs will benefit from."

"It's something that a lot of teams don't have," Johnson said. "The New York Yankees have that with Clemens and Cone. Now, with the addition of Curt, it will make things a lot easier for everybody. He's going to go out there and give seven, eight innings and maybe we can push one another too."

Arizona's staff has struggled, with veteran righthander Todd Stottlemyre sidelined with a muscle tear in his right elbow. Lefthander Brian Anderson is winless in his last six starts since June 28.

Unproven rookie Geraldo Guzman was tagged in his last start after two impressive performances and Armando Reynoso has a history of injury problems.

Schilling included the Diamondbacks as one of the teams to which he would accept a trade. He attended high school and college in Arizona.

"I am as split down the middle emotionally as I can be," Schilling said. "I just improved about 12 or 13 games in the standings. I am going to a first place team to a winning situation and to a club that is hoping I can help them get to the World Series. I am ecstatic.

"On a personal side, this is our home. Nine years I have spent here, my family has spent here, my kids have been born here. Our closest family is here. The best fans I could ever have dreamed of playing in front of I have played in front of. I leave here with the best of memories. I had it made. I truly was blessed the nine years I was here."

Schilling fell out of favor in Philadelphia after ripping the team for not trying to remain competitive. He was openly critical of the Phillies, yet narrowed his trade options to certain contenders, limiting the possibilities for general manager Ed Wade to trade him.

"I think it ended up being a situation where the time had come," Schilling said. "In light of everything that has happened over the last month or so, financially in the baseball world knowing that I probably wasn't going to be re-signed here. My contract was up next year. Based on the financial situation we were in. We sat down and talked and it was probably the best for both parties."

"We are giving up one of the best starting pitchers in the baseball," Wade said. "We do this deal reluctantly but we are also getting four answers to a lot of needs."

Schilling is 6-6 with a 3.91 ERA in 16 starts this year. After missing the opening month following offseason shoulder surgery, he returned a bit ahead of schedule and struggled through his first eight starts. But since June 15, he has returned to form, allowing only 14 runs over 63 innings.

During his recent hot stretch, Schilling has posted victories over Atlanta, the New York Mets and Toronto, three teams with postseason aspirations. Schilling, who also spent time with Baltimore and Houston, has a career mark of 105-89 with a 3.41 ERA in 342 games. He has a 1.69 ERA in two League Championship Series games and was 1-1 in the 1993 World Series for Philadelphia.

"We're excited," said Arizona outfielder Luis Gonzalez. "Any time you've got two front line guys in your rotation, Randy and Curt, it's definitely a plus, but we still realize we've got to go out there and play the game. You can have five of the greatest pitchers in the game but you still have to play between the lines."

By adding Schilling and his $5.65 million salary, the Diamondbacks continue to show that despite being in just their third season, they will make the necessary moves to contend. Schilling and Johnson both are members of the exclusive 300-strikeout club. In fact, Schilling led the league in strikeouts in 1997 and 1998 before Johnson captured the title last season.

"He (Schilling) gets major league hitters out on a consistent basis and he gives his team a chance to win," said Diamondbacks manager Buck Showalter. "That's something that sticks out. People want that on their club because pitching allows a team to be consistent and that's what we hope to get back with the addition of Curt and take a little pressure off the hitters."

The Phillies are mired in last place in the National League East but received good value for their most attractive commodity. With the addition of the three arms from Arizona and the acquisition of young lefthander Bruce Chen from Atlanta on July 12, they have revamped a pitching staff that has struggled mightily this season.

"If these guys come in and do what we think they are capable of doing, I do not think we are very far from being very close to where we want to be," Wade added.

In Daal, the Phillies get a 28-year-old lefthander who won 16 games last season. He has been dismal this year, going 2-10 with a 7.22 ERA. He has not won since May 25 and has come out of the bullpen in his last three appearances.

Daal, who has a career mark of 38-42 with a 4.47 ERA, joins his fifth team. After breaking in with Los Angeles in 1993, he also spent time with Montreal, Toronto and Arizona.

Figueroa is a 26-year-old righthander who has had trouble in three outings at the major league level. At Class AAA Tucson of the Pacific Coast League, he was 9-4 with a 2.81 ERA in 17 games. With the departure of Schilling and Andy Ashby, who went in the deal for Chen, Figueroa should take a regular turn in the rotation.

The best arm of the three newcomers probably belongs to Padilla, who has been dominant at times this season and could be the Phillies closer before the season is over. The 22-year-old righthander is 2-1 with a 2.31 ERA in 27 relief appearances, allowing 32 hits while striking out 30 in 35 innings.

"Padilla has a live arm who could go back out of the back end of the bullpen possibly at some point, but even if he doesn't we know what our bullpen woes have been and we have added a good fresh arm," Wade said.

Philadelphia also picked up first baseman-outfielder Travis Lee, one of the first significant acquisitions by the Diamondbacks in 1997, one year before they began play.

Lee, 25, was third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 1998 after hitting .269 with 22 homers and 72 RBI. But he slumped miserably last season, hitting just .237 with nine homers and 50 RBI. Lee lost his starting first base job to Erubiel Durazo by midseason and was converted into an outfielder.

With Durazo hurt earlier this year, Lee had a chance to regain some of his luster but again struggled, batting .232 with eight homers and 40 RBI. He figures to necessitate another move by the Phillies, who have Rico Brogna at first base and impressive rookie Pat Burrell waiting in the wings.

"Travis Lee struggled last year but we feel we are getting a 25-year old lefthanded hitter with a high pedigree," Wade added. "He will be able to complement (Scott) Rolen, (Bobby) Abreu, (Mike) Lieberthal and our other younger players."